When the mind spins at bedtime, the goal is not to force sleep but to shift your brain into a quieter mode. Try this single, repeatable routine that blends offloading, calming the body, and gently occupying attention.

The 12-minute shutdown routine

1. Two-minute brain dump

• Sit at the edge of the bed with a pen.
• On paper, list everything on your mind in short bullets. No solving, only capture.
• End with a tiny next step for the top worry, even if it is “email X at 9 a.m.”

2. Four minutes of down-regulation breathing

• Close your eyes and do 5 physiological sighs: inhale through the nose, sip a second short inhale, slow exhale through the mouth.
• Follow with 3 minutes of easy 4-6 breathing: inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds. Let the exhale feel long and unhurried.

3. Six minutes of body scan with a cognitive shuffle

• Body scan: starting at toes, lightly tense for 3 seconds, release for 6, move upward in small regions.
• Cognitive shuffle: as you scan, name harmless, unrelated objects that start with random letters, like lamp, carrot, pebble, ticket. Keep images brief and unimportant. If thoughts drift, restart with a new letter.

Stop here. Lights off. If you are not sleepy, repeat step 3 once. The point is to be relaxed and mildly bored, not to score a perfect routine.

If you are still awake after about 20 minutes

• Get out of bed, keep lights dim, and do something low demand like reading a dull paper book or folding laundry.
• Return to bed when your eyelids feel heavy. This keeps the bed linked to sleep and not to problem solving.

Fast fixes for a noisy mind

• Temperature: make the room cool and your feet warm. A cool room and warm extremities help your core temperature drop.
• Light: dim all screens 60 minutes before bed. If you must use devices, enable the warmest night filter and lowest brightness.
• Caffeine and alcohol: avoid caffeine within 8 to 10 hours of bedtime. Skip nightcaps that fragment sleep.
• Food: aim to finish large meals 2 to 3 hours before bed. If hungry, use a small protein snack.
• Noise: use a fan or white noise. Consistent low sound masks spikes that trigger alertness.

A simple day plan that makes nights easier

• Morning light: get outside light within an hour of waking for 5 to 10 minutes. This anchors your body clock.
• Move: exercise earlier in the day when possible. Intense late workouts can keep the engine revving.
• Worry window: schedule a 15-minute problem time during the afternoon. Capture tasks and choose tiny next steps so bedtime is not the first time your brain tries to plan.

What success feels like

You may not fall asleep instantly. Success is when your breath slows, muscles unclench, and your inner monologue turns into short, fuzzy images. Give the routine a week of honest tries. Over time your brain learns that this sequence means off duty.